5 things we learned from the PGA Tour's return at Colonial
After a nine-week layoff due to the coronavirus pandemic, the PGA Tour finally returned to action Thursday at Colonial Country Club.
Though there were no fans in attendance and the television broadcast was a stripped-down version of what we're used to, it was an incredible day of action as golf resumed at last.
Here are five things we learned from the opening round of the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Free from Honma, Rose is back
When last we saw Justin Rose, he was working through a split from equipment sponsor Honma just over a year after inking a deal with the company. It appears the Englishman is happy to be a free agent, as he was dialed in all day. Rose took a share of the first-round lead with a 7-under-par 63 at the tree-lined layout, showing the form that helped him rise to No. 1 in the world in 2018.
Bryson is huge ... and it's working
Despite averaging a very healthy 303 yards off the tee last year, Bryson DeChambeau vowed to put on a significant amount of muscle and increase his driving distance. The 26-year-old was already weighing in at over 225 pounds and led the Tour with 321 yards per drive before COVID-19 forced a shutdown, but his display Thursday was still shocking. A significantly beefed-up DeChambeau was a monster off the tee, and social media was ablaze after he dropped an incredible Instagram video chronicling his time in quarantine almost precisely as he was teeing off on his first hole.
Golf doesn't look that different
It was tough to detect much of a difference between the Thursday's play and Tour events staged before the break - at least from the couch. Sure, there were no fans, no clapping or cheering, and no structures on the course, but it was completely normal from a viewing perspective.
The golfers didn't seem to mind, either. Aside from some expected rust, the play was elite. Rose and Harold Varner III dazzled with matching 7-under 63s, while Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, and DeChambeau are among the many big names very much in the mix. The absence of fans might be more pronounced come Sunday, but for now, it seems the PGA Tour we loved before the break has returned.
Spieth is back - maybe
Is it time to sound the alarm?
Not yet, perhaps, but Spieth showed real signs of life with a 5-under in Thursday's opening round. His performance would have been even more impressive if the 26-year-old hadn't won at Colonial in 2016 and twice finished as a runner-up at this event.
For now, Spieth's opening day was a big step in the right direction. He gained strokes off the tee and through approach shots, indicating that whatever he did to improve his play during the break is working ... so far.
Mic'd-up golfers can work
Rickie Fowler was the only player to wear a microphone Thursday as CBS attempted to enhance its broadcast. Though Fowler's game didn't flourish - he shot 3-over - his on-course chats with caddie Joe Skovron certainly elevated the viewing experience and proved that mics on players can work.
Though the conversations were far from groundbreaking and didn't provide edge-of-your-seat entertainment, they did give viewers a unique opportunity to listen in on a pro's decision-making processes and self-evaluation.